Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends

5 from 5 votes

Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends are smoky, tender cubes of brisket point finished in a sticky Kansas City-style glaze. The brisket smokes low and slow until tender, then gets cubed and returned to the smoker with BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter, honey, and the reserved brisket juices. The result is rich, caramelized, bite-sized brisket with crispy edges, a saucy finish, and deep wood-fired flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time14

Total Time14 30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brisket, brisket burnt ends, smoked brisket

Servings: Servings

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Traeger Timberline 1300 Pellet Grill

Ingredients

1 brisket point 4-6 pounds, separated from the flat
1 cup barbecue seasoning dry rub
2 cups Kansas City-style BBQ sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp butter unsalted, sliced
2 tbsp honey

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 225°F using your favorite wood.
Separate the point from the flat by running your knife between the two muscles.
Trim any hard fat and tough pieces from the brisket and remove any silver skin. Trim the soft fat cap down to about ¼ inch thick.
Put the barbecue seasoning blend on the brisket and be sure to coat it entirely on all sides.
Place the brisket on the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. This should take about 6 to 10 hours.
Optional: spritz with about 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or apple juice every hour.
When the internal temperature reaches 160°F, wrap tightly in peach butcher paper and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 195°F. This will take another 2 to 3 hours.
Remove the brisket and unwrap the butcher paper, being sure to catch the juices into an aluminum baking pan. Cut the brisket into 1 inch cubes.
Place the cubed brisket into the aluminum pan and toss it with the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter, honey, and any reserved juices from the wrap. Be sure to work quickly to prevent the brisket from cooling too much.
Set the uncovered pan on the smoker at 225°F for another 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the burnt ends are sticky, caramelized, and tender.
Remove from the smoker and enjoy. Cheers!

Notes

Use The Brisket Point

Burnt ends are best made from the brisket point because it has more fat and marbling than the flat. That extra richness helps the cubes stay tender during the long smoke and gives the finished burnt ends their juicy, sticky texture.

Trimming The Brisket

Trim away hard fat, silver skin, and any tough pieces before seasoning. Leave about ¼ inch of the soft fat cap so the brisket has enough protection and moisture while it smokes.

Seasoning Ahead

For deeper flavor, season the brisket with the barbecue spice blend the night before, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. If you are short on time, seasoning right before smoking still works well.

Wrapping And Saving The Juices

Wrapping the brisket in peach butcher paper helps push it through the stall while still letting smoke flavor come through. When you unwrap the brisket, catch the juices in the aluminum pan and add them back with the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter, and honey.

Getting Sticky Burnt Ends

The final uncovered cook is what turns the sauced brisket cubes into burnt ends. Stir occasionally and cook until the sauce thickens, the butter melts into the glaze, and the edges of the brisket get sticky and caramelized.

Helpful Recipes

Use this barbecue spice blend recipe for the rub and this Kansas City-style BBQ sauce recipe for the glaze.

Nutrition